News bites: October 4, 2014

It may not have performed as well at the box office as the other maritime movies this year, Roaring Currents and Pirates, but Sea Fog has earned a distinction of its own; it’s been selected by the Korean Film Council to be South Korea’s entry in the Best Foreign Language Film category for the 87th Annual Academy Awards, which will be held on February 22, 2015. Each country can only register one film as an entrant, and Sea Fog beat out the likes of A Hard Day, Dohee, Han Gong-ju and six other critically acclaimed movies to become the film representing the nation in the category. While South Korea has submitted over 20 films for consideration since 1962, none of them has been nominated — an Oscar nomination alone would be a huge achievement, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Kim Yoon-seok, Yoochun, and the rest of the cast and crew. [Sports Chosun]

Idol Yura (of Girls Day) and actors Yoo Min-kyu (Ghost Detective Cheo-yong) and Shin So-yool (Yoona’s Street) have been selected to head a new SBS Plus drama called Be Arrogant, which will be about three youths and the push-and-pull lovelines that connect them. Yura will play the ever-cheerful current girlfriend of Yoo Min-kyu; she’s honest with her feelings, but somewhat dependent and impulsive. Yoo will play the boyfriend and ex of Shin So-yool’s character, an homme fatale who will turn the hearts of the two women upside down. He’s immature and spineless, yet impossible to dislike. Shin is the girl who’s encountered all sorts of hardships and has worked for ten years as a clothing wholesaler. After six years of dating Yoo, she’s left with the conviction that money is more important than men. The story gets interesting when she begins working with Yura’s character, unaware that Yura is seeing her ex. All three will end up collaborating to operate and promote an online fashion mall, and in an attempt to bridge drama and reality, the site featured in the show, www.dodohara.com, will actually become a live shopping site when Be Arrogant begins airing on October 27. This could be a brilliant new marketing scheme, or the show could feel like one long infomercial. [SBS E]

Shin So-yool, Yoo Min-kyu, Yura

More casting details are being released for Waiting For You, the film that Shim Eun-kyung (Miss Granny) signed up for in August. When the movie’s schedule got pushed back, she agreed to take on Cantabile Tomorrow in the interim, but she’s still attached to play a girl who loses her father to a serial killer and who is patiently plotting and awaiting her revenge. Yoon Je-moon (Three Days) is finalizing the details of an offer to appear as an investigator after the same man, while Kim Sung-oh (Age of Feeling) has confirmed he’ll play the heartless murderer. This will be writer Mo Hong-jin’s first directorial effort, and Waiting For You will begin filming at the end of the year when casting is complete. [Osen]

Jo Sung-ha (King’s Family) is positively considering an offer to appear in Himalaya, the based-on-a-true-story film that Kim Myung-min and Lee Min-ki dropped after multiple delays late last year. We first heard of its revival in September, with a completely new cast: Hwang Jung-min (A New World) will play Uhm Hong-gil, who in 2005 led an expedition up Mt. Everest to recover the body of Park Mu-taek, a friend and hoobae who died on an expedition the year before. Jo Sung-ha has received an offer to play Uhm’s sunbae mountaineer, and he’s expected to accept after negotiating the details of the contract. Himalaya will begin filming (at long last!) at the end of November. [Star News]

Choi Woo-shik

We’ve also gotten some more tidbits on the role given to Choi Woo-shik (Yong in Fated to Love You) in Pride and Prejudice — the fashion-obsessed prosecutor he’ll play has been on an elite, predetermined course his whole life, and he’s perfect marriage material. Born to a wealthy Gangnam family, he attended high school abroad, got his degree from Seoul National University, and trained as a military judicial officer. Although he’s content to follow the course set out for him when it comes to his career, he lives and dies by his passion for style and fashion; he is a true fashionista. Given the additional lead characters who will support the young genius prosecutor Choi Jin-hyuk, the stubborn female protagonist Baek Jin-hee, and the level-headed mentor Choi Min-soo, it feels even more like Pride and Prejudice is You’re All Surrounded set against a legal backdrop. The show will air after Records of a Night Watchman concludes in mid-October.[TV Report]

MBN is really trying something new with its first drama series in two years, Tears of Heaven, which stars Park Ji-young (The Concubine) as a coldhearted mum who has abandoned her daughter, played by Hong Ah-reum (Into the Fire), more than once on her quest for success. Not only has it been given a brand new timeslot (6:20PM on Saturdays), but filming on the show began in the summer of 2013 and just wrapped (wha, it’s not a live-shoot!), meaning all of the crew’s attention is currently being placed on final edits. While I normally give network reps the side-eye when they keep touting the production quality of their shows, I’ll be on the lookout for this one — I want to know if the pre-planned story arc, additional preparation time for the actors, and the extra editing make a noticeable difference. Tears of Heaven debuts October 11 on MBN. [Maeil]

Lee Tae-hwan

We’re also getting more info from the set of Pride and Prejudice: In a sudden move, Lee Tae-hwan, of actor group 5urprise (he’s groupmates with Seo Kang-joon) and of High School King of Savvy (he played Min-seok’s dense friend Tae-seok) has been cast as a lead in MBC’s upcoming Monday-Tuesday drama. (They’re calling it a lead, but I would venture it’s more of a supporting lead role.) He’ll play a taekwondo athlete and freshman detective; a flower boy with an innocent soul. It’s a big step forward for Lee, who just began acting professionally (High School King was his first acting appearance), and he said, “On one hand, I feel the burden of this great opportunity that’s been given to me, who just started out, and on the other, I have a desire to do a really good job.” Lee has been attending real trials and meeting with former investigators to prepare for the role. [SBS E]

October 4, 2014 at 12:16 PM

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From what i've read i saw that Sea Fog was pretty well recieved by the critics(international ones at least) better that other movies like the ones mentioned...i'm glad to see Lee Tae Hwan because i really liked him in High School King and indeed it is a big step for him so hope he will do a good job to get many more roles...hope to see him play many more diverse type of characters

October 4, 2014 at 11:06 PM

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Definitely well received by the international audience. It's had a very good run on the movie/film festival circuit. It's a very serious/gritty film, and at first I wondered why Yuchun didn't go the usual route, ala Kim Soo hyun, and choose a comedy or rom com for his first movie, but it seems he chose well, because this movie finally erased that idol moniker from his actor title.

I am still amazed by his transition from idol to actor. When you go on international sites that air kdramas (meaning not the usual ones for longtime fans), like the ones for those that just discovered Kdramas - Hulu, Netflix etc. Yuchun is one of the actors always mentioned, due to the popularity of Rooftop Prince. I guess that explains why the producers of that drama are still releasing materials - re-cut DVD, BTS scenes, picture sets, even the radish stuffed animal, etc. almost 3 years after the drama aired.

October 5, 2014 at 2:31 AM

"because this movie finally erased that idol moniker from his actor title."

AwW..seriously? thought that title has been erased a few years ago?No?maybe I'm a minority who never saw him as an idol since i know him thru SKKS + I'm not a kpop fan..

No wonder he even mentioned this thingy during an “Open-talk” event at BIFF two days ago..

"people’s negative views on idol stars who pursue an acting career at the same time often makes him sad but that would not stop him from finding passion in acting. I want to shoot more films and do more TV dramas. I have no reason to reject them if they are good works."

Park Yoochun listen, u're one of my fave actors which I never missed to watch any projects of yours..So u go boy! shoot more films and dramas tho MS date is getting near..oh, why I have to remind this? damn!
only 2 years, I will fill up my daily by watching dramas, movies, kshow or re-watching ur old dramas :lol:

October 4, 2014 at 2:50 PM

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Ooo I love Shin So-yul so I'm happy for her! And, of course, I have a soft spot for Yoo Min-kyu because of Shut Up. From the sounds of the premise though, I actually hope they focus more on the friendship between the girls!

October 4, 2014 at 3:14 PM

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I have yet to see both "Roaring currents" and "Sea fog", but I am soooo happy for the "Sea fog" cast...okay, mostly for Yoochun lol *Fangirl* ? I am so happy that Yoochun picked such a good project to start his film career...it's good to have a movie with the title of "Korea's pick for oscar nom" to add to his filmography before the inevitable, oh so painful MS ?

Also I am looking forward to P&P now..legal dramas are not my thing but CJH is TOTALLY my thing ?

October 4, 2014 at 3:18 PM

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It is all in how it is tossed to the academy I am guessing.
Immigration is a hot US topic in Hollywood so if it is presented as a film based upon the real life struggle of undocumented immigrants or something like that it could get taken up.

October 4, 2014 at 8:40 PM

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yes, it is all about the marketing campaign even at the Oscars.

I hope the producers play this right, if it means that the movie ends up with an Oscar nomination it would be really great especially since Snowpiercer was so robbed by the war over cuts to its US edition. As it is, being selected as Korea's entry to the Foreign Film category is an honour, I'm glad they got this recognition.

October 4, 2014 at 7:32 PM

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SbsPlus is just a sub channel for Sbs for drama reruns or for their sub project. SbsFun usually runs variety reruns. Kbs and Mbc too have such sub channels like Mbcevery and sports channel, KbsN and Mbc sports.

October 4, 2014 at 9:38 PM

October 4, 2014 at 7:34 PM

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I've always liked Shin So Yul since Answer Me 1997. She's got one of those smiles that just makes you happy when you see it. I am glad Shin So Yul and Lee Tae Hwan are getting second lead roles these days.

October 4, 2014 at 8:58 PM

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Even better then.. I really hope it turns out to be a good drama and with a good audience response. I was about to cheer for SBS for putting out a drama with actors that are not as well known but then I saw the "Plus" and that left me disappointed. I'd laugh my ass off if this drama gets better ratings than the one they put on their flagship channel.

October 5, 2014 at 1:57 AM

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still no eng subs for Sea Fog/Haemoo rite? it's killing me to read all the buzz about Sea fog while i have to wait for the subs like since forever..I don't think I can watch the raw one, since they use yeosu[?] dialect..I should go to BIFF instead, not only can watch movies but probably can meet some actors too..haha..btw congrats Haemoo! fingers, legs & toes crossed to get nomination in Academy Awards..

October 6, 2014 at 10:56 AM

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I'm loving that picture of Choi Woo-shik above. Only he could pull of an outfit with two different plaids, stripes, herringbone, AND polka dots! I've never seen anyone attempt an outfit with that many theoretically clashing patterns, but he just looks suave and confident. He's got to be sweating to death, though.

October 7, 2014 at 2:06 AM

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I so much look forward to Tears of Heaven, specifically for the reason you mentioned, that it looks like an awesome quality production, and that they completed the shooting prior to air time. I also love Seo Jun-Young, and like Lee Jong-won and In Gyo-Jin. There has not been a lot of attention paid to this drama. I pray that someone subs it...!